At the recent South Carolina Conservation Partnership Conference, the youngest person in the room wasn’t just observing – she was leading the conversation. Grace Brusky, a student from Cyber Academy of South Carolina and a Charter School Student Ambassador for the Charter Institute at Erskine (Institute), served as a voice for youth leadership, presenting new ways to connect South Carolina students with the agricultural industry.
Brusky’s role at the conference follows her recent receipt of the “Outstanding Youth Board Member Award” for her work with the Lancaster Soil and Water Conservation District. For Brusky, the conference was an opportunity to show state leaders, including State Superintendent of Education Ellen Weaver, how digital tools can make environmental science more accessible to the next generation.
During the conference, Brusky demonstrated Carolina Nature Adventures, an interactive platform she designed to turn state science standards into 18 different digital games for K-12 students. She is also currently building out statewide resources to help high schoolers prepare for the Envirothon, a premier environmental competition, with the goal of helping peers turn an interest into a professional career.
The conference also gave Brusky a seat at the table with the state’s top decision-makers. She met with Superintendent Ellen Weaver, South Carolina Governor’s School for Agriculture President Timothy Keown, and Will Brinkley, known as the “Tar Heel Farmer,” to discuss how the state can better highlight “green” career paths.
“Students cannot pursue paths they do not know exist,” Brusky said. “Being the youngest person in the room by decades only reinforced how important it is that students are included in conversations about education and the future of conservation.”
This drive to connect students with opportunities is also what led Brusky to co-found Pathly, a site that helps students explore careers and education options that fall outside the traditional classroom box.
Whether she is teaching conservation classes in person in Lancaster or building digital tools for students across the state, Brusky is focused on making sure her peers have a voice in the industries that will shape their future.
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The Charter Institute at Erskine is the fastest-growing school district in South Carolina. Serving 28 schools and 30,000 students across the state, the Charter Institute at Erskine is committed to innovative, creative, high-quality methods of education. For more information about the Institute, please visit www.erskinecharters.org.
